“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
Quick. Who said that?
If you don’t know the answer, here’s a clue: He was an American Patriot who said those words at the age of twenty-one just before he was hanged.
Still no guesses?
Don’t feel bad. You’re not alone. That kind of rich history hasn’t been taught very well for decades. It’s alarming, frankly.
Knowing and understanding our history is much more important than memorizing a sea of dates and names. It’s how we protect the system of liberty our founders created and handed down to us.
When we forget our history, we forget that freedom isn’t self-sustaining. It’s only guaranteed by our Constitution and our Constitution means nothing if we don’t protect the principles of liberty upon which it is based.
Our country’s form of government is fragile, and it can only work if the citizenry takes a solid and active role in governing themselves.
That’s why on today of all days, we should ask ourselves if we’re celebrating Independence Day, or just July fourth.
Eric Metaxas will be our guest today on “Learning to Love America Again.” He’ll encourage us to understand why America is such an exceptional nation. Our country has plenty to feel guilty about, and it’s important to talk about those problems. But if negative is all we see in our country, then we do a profound disservice to history and to ourselves.
Eric is a speaker, radio host, and author of the book, “If You Can Keep It: Forgotten Promise of American Liberty.”
Join us for the program on your local radio station, online, or on our free phone app.
By the way, since you’ve stuck with me this far, I’ll tell you who said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” It was Nathan Hale, a hero of the American Revolution and a young man who was nobly willing to die for the cause of freedom.
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